4th Street Downtown Mall Crossing

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Downtown Mall Crossing
20080104-Second-Crossing.jpg

Completed

Project Overview

1. Improve business on the east end of the Mall.
2. Improve flow of traffic around Mall by replacing crossing removed by Eastern Mall Expansion project
Cost No direct costs, costs to rebrick 4th Street SE now part of $7.5 mall revitalization program
Location Charlottesville
Sponsor Charlottesville

Status Update

City Council voted 3-2 on April 7, 2008 to make the 4th Street SE crossing permanent. The street will be rebricked as part of the Downtown Mall renovation.

Contact Jim Tolbert, Director, Neighborhood Development Services, Charlottesville

The eastern Downtown Mall Crossing is an intersection allowing vehicular traffic to cross the Downtown Mall at Fourth Street East. On August 12, 2017, it was the site of the murder of Heather Heyer and wounding of several dozen other peaceful protesters in the car attack by white supremacist James Alex Fields.

Map

Project details

Ever since a section of Main Street in downtown Charlottesville was closed to vehicular traffic in the 1970s, opening up side streets for crossing of the pedestrian mall has caused a great deal of controversy. The first one was approved in the 1990s, and allows drivers to cross south-to-north at 2nd Street W.

Until 2003, it was possible to cross the mall using 7th Street E, but that was bricked over as part of the Mall's extension.

After an initial discussion on February 2, 2006,[1] City Council voted 4-1 on April 3 to approve a second vehicular crossing, and so began a one-year trial of a north-to-south crossing at 4th Street E lasting from May 2006 to May 2007. At the time Jim Tolbert, director of the City's Department of Neighborhood Development Services, said staff recommended closing the crossing during Pavilion events and to locate any permanent crossing at 5th Street East.[2]

City Council voted 3-2 on June 18, 2007 to retain the second crossing, though staff was ordered to bring forth a proposal to switch the second crossing to 5th Street East.

The City Planning Commission voted for a second time on December 11, 2007, that the second crossing was consistent with the City's comprehensive plan. The matter of where the crossing should be permanently located has not yet been finalized. Either project carries an estimated $900,000 price-tag according to Tolbert.

The stated purpose of the project is to:

  1. Improve business on the east end of the Mall.
  2. Improve flow of traffic around Mall by replacing crossing removed by Eastern Mall Expansion project

External links

References

  1. Web. Charlottesville City Council meeting minutes, .pdf, Council Chambers, City of Charlottesville, February 21, 2006.
  2. Web. Charlottesville City Council meeting minutes, .pdf, Council Chambers, City of Charlottesville, April 3, 2006.